Road to Ba Sing Se
by Charlysnape
Summary: TOKU. Set in Book 3 before Sozin's Comet. Aang has gone missing and the group split up to find him. Toph and Zuko take Appa to search surrounding islands. Will the two bond well, and what are the consequences as they grow closer? R AND R PLEASE :
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys, this is my first Avatar fanfiction and I had no idea how hard it would be to start it off. I promise you it will improve so please stick around and wait for more chapters. Thanks :D

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**Chapter One**

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"It's no use." Katara said, sitting on the step of the grand house on Ember Island. "He's nowhere."

"Don't you get it?" Sokka said. "Aang vanishes right before an important battle, its obvious… he's on a spirit world journey" He looked impressed with himself.

"Wouldn't his body be left behind?" Zuko contradicted.

"I- uh" Sokka huffed. "You're right."

"Hasn't anybody noticed who else is missing?" Toph said.

Katara, Sokka, Zuko and Suki all exchanged glances.

"Momo!" Suki cried.

"He's probably with Aang. Maybe we should split up and expand our searches." Katara suggested.

"Is it wise to split up?" Sokka asked.

"Well we've got to find the Avatar before the comet, otherwise… what's the point?" Zuko said glumly.

"I'm with Katara, we should split up." Suki said. "Aang's tracks lead to the water, maybe we should look outside the confines of this island."

"But if he wanted to run away, he would of just taken Appa." Toph said.

"It's still worth checking." Katara said standing up. "Sokka and Suki, you check the rest of the island, just in case. Toph, Zuko, you take Appa and circle the skies, and check any near by islands. I'll scour the waters."

Sokka and Suki linked arms. "Sounds fine to me," he said. "I wish I still had Hawky, we could have used him to tell each other when we find him."

"If we find him," Zuko said, walking towards Appa. "Are you coming?" He directed towards Toph.

"Ugh… I hate flying." She mumbled, shifting her foot and leaping onto Appa's saddle.

"Good luck!" Katara called, running towards the ocean, her arms apart as she guided the water around her feet, setting off into a surf.

Zuko climbed onto Appa's head and picked up the reins. "uh… yip-yip" He muttered. He looked down as Appa rose into the air. Sokka was waving manically before walking towards the town.

Zuko and Toph raised higher and higher, silence between them both until Toph finally spoke.

"You know… I sometimes think you guys forget that I'm blind" She sighed. "You better keep a look out up here cause I can't see anything… until we get to land at least."

"I never really understood that…" Zuko mumbled.

"Understood what?"

"Seeing with your… your feet, how does that even work?"

"Vibrations… I can pretty much paint a mental picture of my surroundings anywhere if my feet touch it. I can even pretty much tell what people look like"

"That's actually… pretty amazing." Zuko said.

"I can also tell when people are lying or scared and stuff." Toph said, grinning.

"No need to show off." Zuko moaned.

"Isn't there anything you can do?" Toph asked, truly intrigued as she sat up and faced the direction of Zuko's voice.

"Not really… My father, Uncle and sister can create lightening… I think that's the only extension fire bending has. I can re-direct lightening though" He added a little cheerfully.

"Lightening huh? It just gets better" she scoffed.

"It's better than metal bending" Zuko said rolling his eyes, "I bet you make lovely oil lamps with that talent"

"If you're going to be obnoxious, you can search for Aang on your own" She spat.

"I'm sorry." He said.

Toph snorted and lay back down against the edge of the saddle. A longer period of silence passed as the skies turned a vivid purple before turning to a dark blue.

"Maybe we should land and set up camp." Zuko said, pulling the reins as Appa began to descend.

"What time is it?" Toph asked.

"I'm not sure, but it's definitely night." He said.

Appa's feet gently patted onto the rock floor. Toph instantly jumped off and landed on the balls of her feet.

"That's the stuff" she sighed as Zuko clambered to the back of Appa's saddle and loosened a large bag containing camping supplies. He slid down Appa's tail and landed softly on the floor.

"It's pretty warm tonight" he said. "We don't need to worry about wind coverage."

He walked over to a large tree and threw the bag on the floor.

Toph slid her foot along the floor and with a dull crumbling sound, a perfect ring of stones appeared to hold a fire. Zuko grabbed a few fallen branches from beneath the tree and threw them into the circle before igniting them. He rolled out the comfy fur hides that belonged to Sokka and Katara and sat on one of them. Toph patted Appa's nose before turning to face Zuko. "There's a lake just through those tree's. I'm going for a splash." She said as she crossed the small clearing and disappeared through the opening. The lake was only a few feet from the trees. Zuko sighed out of boredom and stood up, following Toph through the trees but stopping dead as she sighed and pulled her green robes over her head. She stood in her under garments and felt with her toes for the cool waters edge. She bent low and cupped her hands, lifting up water before throwing it gently on herself. The water droplets rolled slowly down her curves, which were normally obscured by her baggy clothing. She reached up and pulled off her headband, throwing it onto her pile of clothes. Long black sleek hair fell deadly straight, all the way down to her hips. Zuko watched quietly as she swept back her fringe for an instant as the moons light covered her face, causing her translucent grey eyes to sparkle, before the hair regained its place in her face. Zuko shifted his foot slightly as Toph spun round.

"Zuko?" She called.

"Uh… I was just coming to… join you. I was bored." He said stupidly.

"Oh…" She said, backing up into the water before turning around and swimming out and floating on her back. "Aren't you coming in then, Sparky?" She said.

Zuko stepped forwards and kicked his shoes off and pulled off his shirt. He hesitantly stepped into the surface before backing up again. "Too cold for you?" She laughed, placing herself upright in the water, he feet touching the sandy bottom. She shifted her foot ever so quickly that the sand beneath her pushed the water into the air, consuming Zuko completely who shouted loudly. As the water flowed back into the lake, Zuko stood up. "What the hell are you doing!" he shouted, before grabbing his clothes, turning on the spot and storming away back through the bushes.

Toph frowned and wadded back to the water edge, picked up her clothes and followed Zuko.

"I'm sorry" She called, running towards him, dripping wet. He was sat on a boulder near the campfire, staring angrily into the fire.

"I didn't realise you hated water so much" She said, sitting beside him.

"I don't, I just…I don't-. It caught me by surprise… I'm sorry for over reacting." He mumbled.

"That doesn't seem like all it is" Toph said.

"It's nothing." Zuko said, turning away from her even though he knew she couldn't see him.

"You're lying." she said simply. "You're forgetting that I can tell." She smiled sheepishly.

"Really, it's nothing" he sighed.

"Oh come on. It can't be that bad." Toph scoffed.

"It was Azula…" Zuko said. "We were only kids. She wanted to fight me one day, but I refused to. It was the first time she ever used lightening. It wasn't powerful but it stunned me. I fell into the fountain and she jumped in and held me under. She might actually have killed me if it wasn't for my mother."

"Oh…" was all Toph could manage. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean too…"

"It's fine" He smiled. "It was a long time ago, I'm over it"

Toph smiled too. "How did you manage when you were fighting with Katara?" she laughed.

"Lucky escape" Zuko said.

"I guess" Toph said, standing up and walking towards her sleeping sack. She pulled on her clothes and dropped onto it in front of the fire.

Zuko followed suit and relaxed on his back, looking up at the stars.

"Aren't you afraid of anything?" Zuko asked.

"Not really. I guess that's an advantage of being blind, I grew up with a better awareness of my surroundings as apposed to just seeing them, but I guess I have my Earth Bending to thank for that." She sighed. "I used to be afraid of water myself you know."

"Really? Why?" Zuko said, turning to look at her.

"It's not like earth. It isn't still, it's always moving so it's harder for me to visualise my surroundings. But then I realise… there's usually earth in water, however small… and if I can sense that, then I can picture it. Plus I never knew how to swim until I met Katara." Toph said lazily.

"That's interesting… I like that." Zuko said awkwardly.

"Like what?"

"The way you see the world… it's inspiring… you sound a lot like someone I used to know." Zuko looked back up towards the sky and sighed again. "Do you think we'll find the avatar?"

"I honestly don't know." Toph yawned, rolling onto her side, facing Zuko. Her misty eyes set on his, even though unseeing. Zuko stared at them until her eyelids began to slowly drift shut, her breath becoming heavier and rattled with sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Don't worry, the story isn't finished, and I'm sorry for the short chapter. I'll try and make it up to you guys with a longer chapter next :).

Also, sorry for not editing :(

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**Chapter Two.**

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"How far from Ember Island are we?" Toph asked as she and Zuko set up the tent once more. "I'm really worried about Aang and the others."

Zuko didn't speak for several minutes. "So… you and the Avatar huh?" he said.

"What?" Toph said, dropping her sleeping mat. "Are you serious?"

"I'm sorry… I just assumed…" Zuko stammered

"Well you assumed wrong!" Toph said, straightening her mat and laying on it, facing away from Zuko.

"I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to offend you" Zuko said, sitting on his own mat, looking at the back of Toph's head. Toph sat up, still turned away from Zuko.

"I don't do the whole relationship thing or anything like it for that matter." She sighed.

"What do you mean?" Zuko said, almost in a whisper.

"What's the point?" She said, turning her body towards him but her face pointed towards the grass.

"Don't you want to fall in love with someone? Like, love at first sight and all that stuff?." Zuko said.

Toph sighed loudly. "Zuko… I am blind. I will never see anybody and fall in love with them. Besides, who'd fall in love with me?" She added jokingly.

"Huh? What are you talking about? Why wouldn't anybody?"

"Because who would choose me when there's millions of girls out there like Katara, I know she's pretty, the way you and Aang swoon over her. Why would any guy in their right mind go for the uncaring blind girl?"

"Don't say that!" Zuko found himself shouting. "That's stupid!"

"It's not Zuko, you wouldn't understand." Toph said calmly. "You don't have to try and make me feel better, I got over it a long time ago."

"Got over what? I don't understand."

Toph looked up. Her unseeing eyes rested on Zuko's as they sparkled with tears.

"That I won't ever be beautiful." She whispered, as a droplet spilled onto her cheek.

Zuko reached out timidly and wiped the tear away.

"I wish you could see yourself" He sighed. "Because for the record, and I'm not just saying this. You're one of the most beautiful girls I've seen."

Toph smacked his hand away and put her head down once more "Don't lie to me."

"I'm being serious!" Zuko shouted, reaching out to lift her face up. "I watched Mai sit in front of a mirror everyday and she never looked half as beautiful as you."

"Why would I believe you?" Toph whispered.

"Because you know me, if I didn't think it, I wouldn't say it." He whispered back.

"Well I don't believe you!" Toph said, smacking his hand away once more and getting to her feet. "You're just making me feel even worse." She stepped away, facing the heat of the fire. There was a second of silence until Zuko stood up. Toph could feel him stood behind her. He placed a hand on her shoulder and whipped her round. He moved his hands unsurely to her waist, his heart beat racing. Toph looked at him, shocked. "Maybe this will convince you." He whispered, bringing his face closer to hers. His lips ghosted over the tip of her nose before resting on her lips. He kissed her gently as she became rigid beneath his grip. He pulled back the slightest to stare into her crystal-like eyes, sparkling brighter than any diamond. She blinked once and pressed her lips to his once more, putting her hands carefully on his chest. Zuko threaded his arms further around Toph's back until he was embracing her tightly, her chest firmly against his. As the last of Toph's tears vanished, the kiss was broken apart by the sound of footsteps. Toph flung herself away from Zuko and sent several large pieces of earth flying through the trees.

"What is it?" Zuko shouted, alarmed.

"It's that metal freak who blows things up with his mind!" She shouted. "Grab Appa, I'll hold him off!"

"No way!" He said, grabbing her by the forearm.

There was a massive explosion as the trees in front of them burst into flames and toppled over. Zuko swirled Toph behind him, protecting her.

Toph shifted her feet and twisted her hands as a large wall of earth shot from the ground like a barricade.

"Lets go!" She shouted, shifting her foot once more until they were catapulted onto Appa's back. Zuko clambered onto Appa's head and grabbed the reins. "Yip-yip!" He called as Appa lifted up from the ground.

As a loud bang came once more, flames shot towards Appa. Zuko jumped onto the back of his saddle, pushed Toph to the floor of it and re-directed the fire around them as they rose higher and higher, the metal man becoming smaller.

"I think we lost him" Zuko sighed in relief, climbing back onto Appa's head. "I thought he was a goner at the Western Air Temple."

"Apparently not. Come on, we'd better head back to Ember Island and warn the others, he might know they're there." Toph suggested.

"You're right." He said, turning Appa around.

Toph shivered involuntarily.

"Here," Zuko said, pulling his outer robes off with one arm, as he kept hold of the rein. He threw it to Toph. "You can sleep under that, I can stay up tonight and get us back sooner."

Toph wanted to disagree but as the material landed on her, she couldn't help but feel warm and comforted. She pulled the robe around her and laid back down on the cushion of the saddle. Before she could even gather what had happened in the last fifteen minutes, she was already soundly asleep. Zuko looked back at her still form as she sniffed the collar of the robe and smiled in her sleep. Zuko widely smiled too, for the first time since he could remember.


End file.
